The Fall of Burgess
by elocin the lost
Summary: [ROTBTD Royal!AU, sideplot Jackunzel (Jack x Rapunzel)] On Jack's coronation day, his kingdom fell under the Nightmare King's rule. Now he's on the run to gather allies to fight against the Nightmare King who is stronger ever than before.
1. 01 The Fall

_Chapter 1_

A tall slender man stood on a balcony from an extravagant castle overlooking the kingdom covered in snow. The townspeople were busy with putting up decorations and cooking food. Music can be heard from afar. Burgess has always been a joyful kingdom despite the harsh climate they were always in but today is different, today was definitely more jovial.

He looked up the gray skies and sighs.

"Something troubling your mind, comrade?" a deep, loud voice with a thick foreign accent asked from behind. A mountain of a man walked beside him. "The kingdom looks extra happy today, don't you think, Pitch?" The large man clapped his hand on Pitch's shoulder which made Pitch stumble a bit.

He furrowed his eyebrows and walked into the castle, the man following him closely.

"Yes, North. The kingdom is indeed happier today," Pitch said coolly. "It is their crown prince's coronation day _and_ the winter solstice, after all."

They walked into the throne room and looked up at the throne. The silver throne glistened as sunlight streams through the tall windows. Royal blue curtains with white embroidery of snowflakes draped candidly on the wall behind the throne, framing the kingdom's emblem: a stag, its antlers adorned with sage flowers.

Pitch touched the same emblem on his collar and walked out of the throne room. He and North walked through the hallway filled with paintings of the crown prince's predecessors. "Do you think we trained him well enough to rule?" he asked as they stared at the family portrait of the boy.

North looks up at the four smiling faces on the painting. "We will never know until he sits on the throne but I believe in our prince," he strokes his beard, smiling at Pitch. "I think we did well. He is a brilliant young lad!"

Pitch was still in deep thought. They had spent almost 8 years teaching the heir almost everything he had to know in preparation for the time he rules over the land.

Even though Pitch was known to be a fearless man, a fearless general at that, today was one of a few fears he had: a coronation of a young lad that Pitch had brought up himself. Will the boy bring success to the kingdom? Will he be a wise ruler? Or will he be a tyrant as the years go by? If the worse case scenario comes true, Pitch will take the responsibility to heart. He'd blame himself if something had gone wrong. Deep inside the tough and brooding general had a soft spot for children and since he had spent almost a decade looking after the royal siblings, he had grown attached to them.

"_Pitchiner_," North grabbed Pitch's shoulders and had the general face him. "Prince Jack has a good heart and a strong mind. You don't need to worry!" He shook Pitch slightly before letting him go. He laughed as Pitch straightened himself, "Today is a glorious day! We should celebrate!"

...

Snow crunched as the flock of children ran through the town. Jack laughed like a madman when he dodged a snowball thrown by a kid a few years younger than him. Laughter filled the streets as the children passed by. Even the adults seem amused at the sight of the prince and princess playing with the kingdom's children. Jack scooped a handful of snow in his hands and tossed it, hitting his sister's back. Emma squealed and chased after her brother.

The children reached an open field and all decided to lie down on the soft snow. A collective sigh filled the air, followed by giggles.

The younger youths decided it was time to run around again. Snowballs flew into the air, snowmen were being made. Emma slid in the snow, grabbing kids as she went, they twirled and twirled around, laughing and giggling, without a care for their older companions who were still lying on the snow.

Jamie, Jack's childhood best friend, sat up and turned to Jack who was basking in the cold. Jamie shook the snow off of his brown hair and nudged Jack. "Hey, Jack? Do you feel nervous about later?" he asked the prince who was far from looking like a royal right now—he wore a soft beige v-neck long sleeved undershirt, a brown vest, a brown cape, and brown pants. He never really bothered on wearing shoes, save for formal events.

Jack let out a hum. He was too busy listening to the children's laughter to hear Jamie's question.

"Hello? Earth to _Prince Jackson!_"

"What?"

"Do you feel nervous about later?" Jamie asked once more, rolling his eyes. "Y'know, with your coronation and all..."

"I don't think so," Jack chuckled. "I'm kinda nervous of what comes after that." He stretched his arm towards the sky and let his fingers dance with a snowflake. He never really wanted the throne. All he wanted to do was be with the people, play with the children. Not having to worry about the political aspects of the kingdom. Sure, he still wanted to serve but not on the throne. He wanted something else, maybe like the positions Uncle North or General Pitch have.

He glanced at his sister who was running around with the other children, throwing snowballs at each other. _She_ was the one interested in ruling the kingdom. He had watched her study with such curiosity about the kingdom's history and its partnerships with the neighboring kingdoms. She had studied philosophies way above her the assigned level for her. If anyone was fit to wear the crown, it was her.

"You're gonna be a great king," Jamie said, looking up the sky.

"I hope so."

"Prince Jackson, Princess Amelia," a squire bowed before them, "Lord Nikolaus sent me to bring you back to the castle." All the children groaned at the announcement.

Jack stared at the squire before him, internally thanking the Moon that North hadn't sent a horde of knights to collect them. Emma brushed the snow off of her brown dress and nodded at the squire before waving goodbye to her playmates.

Jack helped Jamie up. He ruffled his hair before following the squire, "Wish me luck James!"

Jamie rolled his eyes and threw at snowball at Jack who laughed idiotically. "I hope you trip!" Jamie yelled out.

...

Emma held Jack's hand as they walked through the town. She smiled at the villagers who would bow or greet her. She looked at her brother. He was looking up at the castle where they spent their whole lives in. Him being so quiet wasn't normal. He'd usually wink and flash his famous lopsided grin at a few fair maidens during their walk through town. Something was definitely bothering her brother. She brushed her bangs away from her eyes.

"Mama and Papa would be so proud of you, Jack."

Jack looked at her and grinned. He hadn't realized that he was in deep thought until she spoke. "They'd also be so proud of you, Ems." He ruffled her brown hair, he could see some white hair growing out of her roots. Her chocolate brown eyes were also showing streaks of blue in them. By the time she was 16, a little under 5 years from now, she'd have completely stark white hair and blue eyes like him and North. She was already showing signs of her powers and he was more than excited for her. Transforming was a royal birthright and a rite of passage.

Her bright smile diminished into a frown. She looked down. "I wish they were here."

"Me, too."

...

Jack accompanied Emma to her room where her nanny and a couple of maids were waiting for her. He kissed her forehead before he left for his room.

The hallways were busy with servants running around making last preparations—delivering decorations to the kingdom plaza, making sure there are enough bells for the ceremony. Jack turned to enter his room, he looked up at his door and sighed. It was his last day in this room, after today he had to move to the King's chambers. A whole lot bigger than his but that also means it's a whole lot lonelier. He entered. No helper on sight, he smiled to himself.

On his bed sat his suit and cloak. A white long sleeved dress shirt, crisp blue waistcoat adorned with silver embroidery and shiny white buttons subtly nodding to the kingdom's emblem, white slacks, and a blue cape with fur lining the collar and adorned with the same silver embroidery on the waistcoat. If you look closely, you could almost see a story unfold within the embroidery: deer running gracefully across a forest during a soft snow day. Jack doffed his regular clothing and donned the sleek white pants and his dress shirt. He tucked in the dress shirt, gently put on the waistcoat and straightened himself up. He walked towards a mirror and studied himself.

He almost looked like his father.

The only difference they have are his hair cut and his eyes—he and Emma share their mother's eyes. And his hair was too short and messy to even be close to looking like his father's long locks. He wondered what his parents would look like if they were still alive. His father would most likely look like Uncle North, his mother would probably look the same—the woman hardly ages.

He brushed through his hair in an attempt to fix it. No matter how many times he brushed, it cannot be tamed. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair instead. Leaving frost here and there so that it'd look like it sparkles in the light. Happy with his work, he wore his deep blue boots and looked in the mirror.

He found a lapel pin on top of the vanity table. It was his father's and his father's father's before them. A silver lapel pin of the family crest. An envelope laid underneath it with the royal wax seal: a crown surrounded by sage flowers.

He took his paper knife and gently opened the envelope. When he saw his mother's handwriting, he froze, not quite revealing the rest of the letter yet. Was he ready to read that? Was he going to cry? He can't possibly cry before his coronation, he wouldn't look presentable! The people would be worried. What was in the letter? He took a deep breath and closed the letter, inserting it within his waistcoat. He picked the pin up and attached it to his collar.

Was he ready? He glanced at the clock. Only half an hour left until the ceremony. Can he rule the kingdom on his own? How can he top what his parents did for their kingd—Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Come in!" he called out.

A mountain of a man walked into the room. It was North, his uncle and regent (originally the lord chamberlain of his father and soon to be his own chamberlain). He grinned at the sight of Jack like a proud father and opened his arms. The man is the most animated person Jack has met and he gave out a festive aura wherever he went.

"Splitting image of your father!" his exclaimed. He took Jack in for a hug, his long white beard tickling Jack's face. He smelled like cookies and mint. North looked into Jack's eyes and smiled, his cheeks rosy red as always. "You're going to be amazing. The kingdom, they love you."

Jack sighed with a grin on his face, "Yeah, of course."

North fixed Jack's coat and pin. He placed his large hand on Jack's cheek and smiled, tears threatening to fall down his face.

"Aw come on, North! You're gonna make me cry too!" Jack whined jokingly. He hugged the man before him once more.

"Ah, I'm sorry, son," North chuckled as he wiped the tears off of his face. "You and your sister," he said, taking Jack's cloak from the bed, "both of you have grown into brilliant people." He stepped behind Jack and donned the cloak over Jack's shoulders. "I am so proud of both of you. The kingdom is in good hands," he grinned as he brushed the fur on the cloak. He walked towards the door and opened it. The sound of the castle echoed across the halls.

"Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

The kingdom plaza was filled with people, music, and decorations. The townsfolk were buzzing and laughing in excitement as they made their final preparations for the coronation and winter solstice celebration. The scent of freshly baked pastries wafted from the houses. Strings of lights delicately illuminated the plaza, light silky blue and white fabric draped across the poles. The kingdom flags flew on top of every roof. Everyone wore their best furs and winter apparel.

It was almost sundown, the skies playfully changed colors. Emma ran around with the children, they carried fairy-like lanterns with bells hanging from sticks that emitted soft ringing. Despite the cold weather, the kingdom felt warm and joyous.

Unlike in other kingdoms where coronations happened within the castle, only open to nobility and other royalty, the coronation in the kingdom of Burgess is a more intimate affair within the monarchy and the people. And it always happened on the day of the winter solstice, one of the most celebrated events in Burgess.

Pitch walked around with a reserved smile on his face, he had ordered his knights assume their positions. The coronation was about to begin. He ran his fingers through his jet black hair and took a deep breath. He fixed his lapel pin and straightened his collar before assuming position on the right side of the makeshift stage.

The skies were a mix of violet and orange and pink and light blue. The plaza fell into a hushed silence as the castle bells bellowed a deep sound. The harmony of the bells echoed across the kingdom as the people shuffled to their spots. The people looked up and reached to the sky as soft snow fell, they sung an ancient resounding prayer accompanied by full claps and snaps that corresponded to the tune of the bells.

_Hear! Oh gods of winter! _  
_Hear our joyous songs!_  
_We come to thee in prayer_  
_Bless the days to come!_

_No harm shall fall upon our land_  
_No foe shall dare to rage _  
_We ask for thee to extend thy hand_  
_We'll pay thee with our sage_

"Crown Prince Jack Overland Frost!" a loud voice howled from behind.

Emma ran to the front besides Pitch who placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She peeked at the end of the plaza where her brother was making his entrance. The crowd bowed as he passed by, it almost looked like a wave. The children gently moved their little bells, surrounding the plaza with soft harmonies of delicate enchanting music. Jack had his chin held high.

Emma almost giggled, this was the first time she saw her brother so regal. She bowed once Jack reached the front. She looked up and saw North, also bowing, grinning from ear to ear as Jack knelt in front of the High Priestess.

He was presented with the crown jewels of Burgess: a wooden staff with a shepherd's crook passed on from generation to generation, representing their humility in serving their people, and a silver orb with blue jewels representing their spiritual connection with the gods. He held these ornaments in his hands and raised them in front of him as the High Priestess took the crown.

The High Priestess held the crown high above Jack's head and sung the hauntingly beautiful ceremonious hymn that was only sung when a new king is to be crowned. The hymn sung about the gods bestowing their power upon the royalty that stood before them, the troubles they might face, and rebirth. The High Priestess took in a deep breath, "I present to you, your new king! King Jack Overland Frost the Spirited, First of His Name, Child of Winter, Ruler of Burgess!" She slowly descended the crown upon Jack's head, "Long may he-"

The earth rumbled, interrupting the High Priestess. Darkness took over the skies as wind blew violently around the kingdom, drifting the decorations from the houses and the plaza. A loud thunder quaked the solemn atmosphere of Burgess. The people began huddling together, looking out for dangers that might befall upon their homeland. Jack stood up and stared at the sky, this wasn't from the earth nor was it from the gods.

Pitch commanded the soldiers to round up the civilians, making them run to their evacuation areas. Soldiers surrounded Jack as dark clouds covered the skies.

"Your Highness, we have to escort you back to the castle!"

"Escort the Princess!"

"Your Grace!"

Jack remained unmoved, glaring at the clouds. Their soldiers were no match against whatever that is. "Bring Emma to safety!" he shouted.

Pitch picked Emma up and handed her over to the High Priestess. They were escorted by the knights into the castle. He could hear her scream, along with his people's cries. North ran up next to him, swords drawn. The black clouds turned into black sand, spiraling around the kingdom. He has seen this before, heard of the stories from the elders. The prophecies of the fall of Burgess. But he didn't want to believe it. "What is this, uncle?"

"Fearlings."

* * *

**A/N: Well that was a lot, wasn't it?! Kind of slow build up, I know but I like slow builds. I've always wanted to write about around the idea of ~the cast of ROTBTD~ being royalties! I'm not quite sure which pairing I'd be going with in this fic when it comes to Jack (Jack x Toothiana or Jack x Rapunzel? Leave a review!) but I'm sure that I'd sprinkle in some Mericcup in this (though this is mainly a Rise of the Guardians fic, I'll just be using the other characters for world building and maybe even spin-off fics).**

**If you like it so far, don't forget to fav, follow, and review! First 5 reviewers shall get a shout out uwu**

**Stay hydrated! **


	2. 02 Crushed Hope

_Chapter 2_

The castle bells rang as the tallest tower of Burgess lit up the sky.

Jack, North and the soldiers had retreated into the castle with the rest of the kingdom. They locked the doors and closed the windows that the Fearlings keep banging onto. North looked around cautiously, swords drawn, his big blue eyes vigilant. The castle of Burgess has stood proud and strong despite many wars. It had endured the power of the Fearlings countless of times and had served as refuge for the kingdom and refugees for countless of years but somehow, North had a bad feeling in his belly that this time around will be different.

Jack walked around, ensuring that everyone was safe and sound.

_"My Lord, get the King out of here, far away from here," the High Priestess quietly spoke to North. She fiddled with her sapphire pendant necklace. _

The children hid within their parents' arms and trembled as the banging got louder. The elders tried their best to keep the younger generations fearless, telling tales about the wars that came before them but to no avail, it only made their fears worse.

_"How am I supposed to do that right now, Aniyah?" North grumbled._

Jack hugged Emma and kept her beside Pitch. If anything bad happens to him, she was next in line and there's no other person other than himself and North that could protect her was the general.

_"If you had listened to me eons ago, this would have been prevented."_

Jack walked to the center of the Great Hall, looking up at the tall windows and the heavy double doors. Ice rushed from his core, travelling in his veins and made its way to the tips of his fingers, he swirled around the snowflakes he produced. He trapped them in his hand and with a swift motion, threw them into the air. It burst into the air and twinkled across the castle, filling the people's eyes with wonder.

_"Prophecies will happen whether we try to prevent it or not."_

It was a trick Jack learned from North as a child. The snow sparkled as it slowly fell on their heads.

With a smile on his face, he hummed and clapped and snapped, walking towards the people. _"Hear! Oh gods of winter! Hear our joyous songs!" _He sang, tapping his staff unto the marble floor and frost covered the floor with intricate art. The weight in the atmosphere lightened just as their tense shoulders relaxed.

_"We come to thee in prayer, bless the days to come!"_ Emma sang, her sweet voice echoing in the hall.

There were no fear in her eyes.

She walked towards Jack and held his hand. Her blue-speckled brown eyes filled with bravery and hope. The children started doing the claps and snaps that came with the song, echoing the words the siblings sang. The banging of the Fearlings seemed to dampen even though they pushed harder than the last.

_"No harm shall fall upon our land,"_ the whole kingdom sang. North walked towards the siblings and remained to be on his fighting stance. The soldiers beckoned the people to stand up and escorted them to different areas of the castles.

_"No foe shall dare to rage." _The people sang while walking.

Pitch drew his sword.

_"We ask thee to extend thy hand."_

The banging was getting louder and louder, the doors and windows shuddered.

_"We'll pay thee with our-"_

With a high pitched shriek, the doors broke down and the Fearlings came rushing in with ferocity. The people scrambled and screamed as the Fearlings surrounded them and before anyone could register what was happening, the Fearlings flew past the soldiers, past Jack, past North, and were moving towards Emma who was frozen in place, eyes wide, face pale.

Jack felt his body go cold, he flew to chase the Fearlings, ice bursting from his palms.

Everything was in slow motion but the yells of the soldiers who sliced through the Fearlings. The Fearlings transformed into a spear, targeting Emma's chest.

"No! Emma get out of the way!" Jack roared, the Fearlings blocking his way, he desperately hacked through them.

Suddenly, right before the spear hit Emma, a slender figure took her place.

Jack's eyes widened as he realized who was hit. The sand whirled around the castle, surrounding General Kozmotis Pitchiner with a crying and stunned Emma still in his arms. Pitch's pale face grew paler and grayer as the sand consumed him, entering from the wound on his back.

"Pitch! Emma!" Jack cried, running towards them before he was caught by a pair of tattooed arms.

"_We have to go,_" North grumbled, forcing back guilt. He carried Jack, enduring the scratching, punching, and frostbite from his nephew. North swore that he would protect the throne and the kingdom no matter the cost. He promised. If only he listened.

Jack screamed, reaching out for Emma as he got dragged out of the castle.

Pitch whispered his final words to Emma's ears before the sand devoured his being.

The creatures let out a horrifying shriek that forcefully closed the doors and broke the glass windows. Jack's head seethed in pain as if the screams were drilling into his brain. A flurry of ice and snow twirled around them, bigger and bigger as the screams got louder and louder. He kept thinking of Emma, how she was clawing out of Pitch's arms as she was experiencing and witnessing the consuming of their beloved general. How her eyes were filled with fear yet burning with determination. How helpless she was because her powers aren't in full solstice yet.

As the shrieks came to an end, he passed out.

* * *

"Emma!" Jack's eyes fluttered open, his breath quick and fleeting. "Where is she?!"

North quickly moved towards him, "Jack..."

Jack looked around to see them in a cottage. North's height made the cottage look smaller than it is—his head almost reached the ceiling. He wasn't in Burgess. His head hurt. "Where are we?"

"Santoff Clausen. Jack, this is Katherine, she's the chief of the village."

The young auburn-haired woman stared at him with her brows furrowed, not really glaring, just thinking. A lock of hair curled over her right eye that loosened when she looked at North who was calming Jack down.

"Katherine, please-"

Katherine raised her hand and pursed her lips.

"I'm sorry, North," she said, rubbing her shoulder. "I can't. My people are _literal children. _As much as I want to help your kingdom, I can't." Katherine apologized, watching the two men in her living room. The firewood crackled quietly, peaceful compared to the laughter of children outside of her home.

She looked up at North who glanced at the corner of the room, near the entrance to the kitchen. There stood her dearest friend and companion, Nightlight. Tall, pale and lanky with wispy white hair. The young man doesn't really say much but he has been observing the room ever since the men arrived. North and Nightlight have met years ago but there was an air of worry, danger, and urgency this time around. She glanced at Nightlight and looked North in the eyes, if it was even possible for gray eyes to burn.

"No."

Nightlight shifted in his feet, leaning against his staff. He was tired and weary but still youthful. He had a bandage at the side of his head and arms. He looked at the rulers of the strongest Northern Kingdom and frowned. He empathized with them, knowing how defeated they feel.

"Katherine, he's the one of the few people who can defeat the Fearlings."

"And he did!" Katherine raised her voice. "For centuries he did!" She walked across the room and opened the door and walked through Santoff Clausen, the little village she protects.

The three gentlemen followed closely behind her. Children of all ages played under the snow, laughing without a care in the world. A few kids would come up to Katherine to hug her and would speed off as quick as they came.

Nighlight floated and subtly glowed, smiling at the children around him. He flew among them, playing chase. His laughter soft and quiet compared to the children's.

Jack smiled sadly, remembering the children in Burgess. How he couldn't protect them. How they ran away instead of fighting. His fists tightened, nails burrowing into his palms, not strong enough to wound himself.

"I understand your fear for your kingdom," Katherine spoke, interrupting Jack's thoughts, as she tied her auburn hair into a loose ponytail. "But he only returned to us yesterday; badly injured. Thank the Moon that he his power helps him heal quickly or else I don't know what to do." She turned to face Jack and North, "Nightlight lost when the Fearlings escaped. He wasn't able to hold them off."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, almost sounding desperate. In which he was. His kingdom was under the hands of his possessed General; his sister and his people being held hostage. Who wouldn't be worried and desperate?

"The Fearlings became stronger during the centuries of being held captive, neither of us don't know how, but they did. Nightlight alone can no longer defeat them and...my Nightlight, he's very tired."

"Why didn't you alert us that the Fearlings had escaped?" North asked softly, keeping his voice low.

They returned to Katherine's home, closing the door behind them, "I sent messages through pigeon carriers. But all of it happened too fast, I doubt the messages would even reach in time."

The room fell silent as the men realized the position they were in. North sighed as he processed the information she had said. Jack looked outside of Katherine's home.

He couldn't blame her for only sending letters. She couldn't leave her village. Her people are innocent children and her village has been protected by her family for centuries. Her village was her main duty, her priority. She couldn't simply leave her people nor send them out to deliver the letters personally, putting their lives in danger. And even if she could, she couldn't leave an injured Nightlight behind. This wasn't their war to fight. They didn't even have their own signal to ring in case of trouble. There was a reason why Santoff Claussen never engaged with the other kingdoms, other than the fact that they are a simple village. They live by themselves, avoiding misunderstanding, complications, and hassle that come with partnerships.

"There's been many wars with the Nightmare King and the Fearlings long ago, and every time he attacked, the Seasons always manage to bring him where he belongs," Katherine said, her voice reminiscent.

"This time is different, Katherine." North stared at the dancing flames in the fireplace, "He was using sand magic."

"But sand magic is exclusively used by those from the Dream Realm..." Katherine shook her head, looking at Nightlight who shrugged, "No one was ever strong enough to wield such magic."

"Well, the Nightmare King is and we have to fight him," North huffed, taking his coat from one of the sofas.

"What do you plan to do?"

Jack took a moment before taking his belongings and following North. What _do_ they plan to do?

North looked at Jack before looking back at Katherine and Nightlight, "What we have done before: defeat the Nightmare King. How exactly, we're about to find out." He gave Katherine and Nightlight a huge hug. His whole demeaner reverting back to the warm and kind man that he is,"It was nice seeing you again, Katherine, Nightlight. Thank you for letting us into your home. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"No worries, I'm really sorry that I can't help any further," Katherine hugged North tightly. "Have a safe trip."

Jack followed North and donned his cloak. "It was nice meeting you, Katherine. Nightlight."

After the men had left, Nightlight looked at Katherine with a concerned look. He floated over to her and gave her a tight hug.

"I really wish I could, darling." Katherine sighed and melted into his hug. She looked over to the book atop of her fireplace, "But my stories cannot change the future of this one."

* * *

Emma buried her nails into her palms as she glared at the man before her. Her nails aren't quite long enough to wound but it was enough to keep her from lashing out rashly. It wasn't very ladylike to do react in such manner so she had to keep it in. Her eyes burned from tears that kept flowing without her command.

The man standing in front of her leered. The man she used to know, the man she looked up to, was now nothing but a shell a monster decided to claim.

"What do you want from us?" she spat. Her gaze not leaving the man although her attention pleaded her to tend to her bruised arm. The man had dragged her into the throne room in front of her own people. They were surrounded by horse-like sand creatures with eyes like ember.

_"Princess—"_ the High Priestess muttered behind Emma.

The man elegantly walked around the room and eventually stood in front of the silver throne, observing it quietly.

"What do you want from us?" she spoke again. The horse-like sand creatures neighed and pounded their hooves, threatening to attack her.

She could hear her people quivering in fear. She had to be strong. For them. For her people. They were looking up to her. With her brother and her uncle gone to hopefully get help, she was the one left in charge for her kingdom. She needs to be brave and collected if she wants to keep her kingdom under her family's protection. If only she was old enough to wield her powers, she could have helped with protecting. She could have kept her kingdom safe.

The man chuckled. "You can't give me what I want, little girl," he said.

Emma furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips. Of course he was using his voice, a venomous version of her beloved General's voice. She took a deep breath. She wiped the tears off of her face, thanking to Moon that her eyes stopped crying.

"Who are you and what do you want from my kingdom?" she asked once more, this time with more animosity.

Her memories of her Uncle North flooded her mind, she had observed the way he would talk to foreign invaders. He would always be kind and cordial before anything else but this wasn't the time to be kind and cordial. She had no memories of what her guardians would do when faced with a more violent threat.

Her history lessons don't really talk about the way the leaders talked to each other before wars, and even if they did, she was probably too young to learn about such. Jack would probably know what to do. Or maybe Uncle North and General Pitch didn't really think that anybody would attack in such a way anymore, after all, who would dare attack the strongest kingdom in of Winter?

Shadows spread from beneath the man's feet, spreading everywhere, swirling around him. The darkness crept into the soldiers who stood before the people, their eyes glowing a golden hue. The General's body was swallowed by the shadows and from it emerged a spiritless version of General Pitch. His amber eyes glowed silver and gold-almost resembling an eclipse, his skin a lifeless gray, his armor swallowed and turned into a black shapeless robe made of shadows. The man bellowed a deep laugh.

"My dear, I am the Nightmare King!" he cackled as black sand danced around the castle, swirling and swirling. Emma faltered but she stood her ground. She could feel her soul trembling but she kept it together. She felt the High Priestess hold her hand, a cold gem in between their palms. She glanced at the old woman who glared at the man before them, her light blue eyes seemed to glow.

_The Nightmare King._ The oldest enemy of the oldest kingdoms.

She had read about the Nightmare King, of his power and of the wars he started. Of the destruction he caused and the lives taken due to the war. He must be stronger than ever now, the last sighting of him was ages ago. Emma observed the way he moved and the way his power manifested. The sand is something new. New can be dangerous.

Emma glared at him. An icy sensation wrapping around her heart and making its way to her fingers. Is this her powers? Is it activating? It's too early for any actual signs of such though...

"Amelia," the Nightmare King called out. Emma took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. He was smiling, kneeling down to her eye level. She wanted to hurl. "What do _you_ want the most in this world?" She could hear the lies from the mere sound of his voice.

"Let my people go."

The Nightmare King's eyes softened as he stood up and ordered to the clearly possessed soldiers: "Well, you heard the princess! Let her people _go_."

* * *

A little girl ran frantically across the golden hallways of the castle, her small wings flapping as she desperately tries to fly. She shook her head in defeat and halted in front of the painted door of the archive room. She entered and searched the room for Toothiana, the Queen of Punjam Hy Loo. She closed the door behind her with a noticeable 'thud!' and ran towards the Queen who was in the middle of a class with a few young women from the kingdom.

"Your Grace!" the child bowed, panting as she continued, "The Northern lights have been lit!"

The Queen stiffened and turned to the little girl with widened eyes. The brightness in her purple eyes were replaced with fear and worry. She quickly dismissed the class and ran out of the room, flying into the setting sky. Her heart beat rapidly as if it was humming with the beat of her wings.

She flew to face the north where she saw the iridescent lights waving in the sky: dark blue, violet, teal, orange, yellow, dancing in harmony; reaching the ends of the Seasons. She put her hand over her chest to calm her dear heart, the Northern Lights of Burgess hasn't been lit for centuries, this had to be something big. The lights danced beautifully and complemented the warm lanterns and the golden architecture of her kingdom. How ironic that something so magnificent signified danger that befell on one of the kingdoms of Winter.

Toothiana fluttered back to her castle and straight to the barracks where her warriors were training.

"Ladies, the Northern Lights have been lit. You know the drill."

The women nodded and flew to their positions, donning golden armor and taking their swords from the weaponry. Commanders barked commands as everyone rushed to prepare. _"Prepare the elephants!" "Alert the kingdom!" "Heighten defenses!"_ From afar, walls ascended from the ground, separating the Kingdom from the rain forest that surrounds them.

Toothiana flew back to the castle and alerted her staff to help her prepare for a journey to the Core. As she flew to her chambers, she caught a glimpse of the moon. It can hardly be seen as the sun was still in the sky but she prayed a little prayer to both Celestials, hoping that the people of Burgess were safe.

She started packing a week's worth of clothing and essentials along with a couple of boxes that contained memories of the past. It would be useful to look back to previous wars for strategies. You can never be over prepared for such a dire event even though she's not quite sure what it was yet.

"Your Grace?" a little girl entered Toothiana's chambers.

"Baby Tooth," Toothiana smiled and knelt to meet the girl. "You were very brave today, thank you for telling me about the lights."

Baby Tooth smiled brightly, her heterochromatic eyes twinkling, "It's always an honor to serve." She looked down and her wings fluttered slightly behind her, "Will you return to us, My Queen?"

"Of course, my dear. I'm sure whatever it is that's happening, we can fix it just like we did before."

* * *

**A/N: thank u for all the reviews ! see u hopefully the week after next !**

**Thank you for the reviews, Demi clayton and Vampire Ronin! **

**See ya'll next chapter! Don't forget to fave, follow, and review ! **


	3. 03 Message

**Author's note: Hello ! I know that I said in the beginning that I would sprinkle in some Mericcup in here and yes I still would since they have history in this fic but I've decided that Hicstrid would be the best canon pairing for this particular fic. I would still love to explore Mericcup in this world (although the time frame would be waaay before this fic's setting) in a spin off (let me know via reviews if you wanna see that too!)**

**Thank you to everyone reading, following, favorite-ing and reviewing!**

**Anyways, sit tight and enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter 3_

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III looked up from the maps he was drawing and put his attention to his village. Toothless purred loudly before scurrying outside to see what was happening. Dragons roared and screeched in reply to the resounding noise of the horn being blown at the top of the tallest post.

He donned a fur coat and walked out of his home. It was the start of the coldest season, though it didn't really matter since it was cold all year round in Berk. He shuddered as a gust of cold wind blew across the island, a number of voices yelped as hay and clothes flew into the air. The horn echoed with the roars of the dragons.

He spotted his wife flying above the island in circles with her dragon. He squinted to see where she was looking and saw the Northern Lights slowly stretching to their skies. It danced and changed colors beautifully against the setting sky. Hiccup called for Toothless who quickly made his way towards him. He secured the buckles of the saddle and hopped unto the dragon's back.

"What do you think happened?" Astrid asked the moment Hiccup was within earshot. Her eyebrows were furrowed in concern, knuckles white upon the reigns of her dragon.

"Something bad enough for them to call for help," Hiccup answered. "We have to fly to the Core."

...

The people of Berk huddled inside the Great Hall. Murmurs about the Northern Lights can be heard from each mouth, clearly worried about what it meant. It has been centuries since the lights have been lit and not only that: today was the Winter Solstice.

The Winter Solstice is traditionally one of the days Burgess celebrated the most: it was the day the first kingdom rulers were given the gift of winter. One of the Vikings noted that the Crown Prince Jackson Overland Frost was supposed to be crowned today, too. Burgess has been one of their longest and strongest allies, dating back before Berk had made amends with the dragons.

"Thank you for coming despite the short notice," Hiccup spoke loudly to break the noise. The villagers looked over the long table before them where the council sat. "As you've all seen, the Northern Lights have been lit."

"Yeah, no kidding!" Ruffnut called out from the crowd. Astrid shot a look at her then urged Hiccup to continue.

"The lights haven't been lit for centuries so we don't know how big of a danger's to come," Hiccup continued. "So we need to strengthen defenses, be prepared for anything that might come: outcasts, rogue dragons, plague, fearlings-"

"Fearlings?" the crowd gasped. The murmurs started again, louder and more fearful. Hiccup raised a hand and tried to hush the crowd but to no avail.

"Now, now!" Valka stood up, raising her hands, "Let's not be frightful! We don't really know for sure what happened but it's better to be prepared for the worst-case scenario."

"And historically, the Fearlings are the only ones able to shake Burgess!" Fishlegs chimed in from the crowd, although the information did not help with calming the people down.

"Thank you for the input, Fishlegs," Hiccup sighed and nodded at the blond. He continued,"We're going to raise our defenses. Make sure you're ready for a fight, have a good amount of armor and weaponry ready, prepare the infirmaries just in case."

"And as stated on the decree agreed upon by our ancestors, the leaders are to head to the Core if any of the alarms are lit," Astrid, brushing her bangs away from her eyes, read from one of the older scrolls from their libraries. "Hiccup and I will be heading to the Core. We'll alert you immediately once we've learned more about the situation."

"And if you don't return?" Tuffnut asked.

"Then prepare for war," Hiccup frowned.

* * *

Bunnymund tapped his foot twice and several giant egg golems sprouted from the ground. "A'right, we have to prepare this place for the coming of the other leaders," he announced. "Dust the place off and rid the chairs of vines. I want this place in shipshape!"

He hopped to one of the seats and began clawing away the overgrown plants from it. His kingdom was closest to the Core so it was his responsibility to keep the place in top shape before meetings, although meetings hardly happen these days. He firmly scraped away the roots, apologizing to the life he disturbed. To be honest, he preferred for the place to be in the state it was in. Nature and man-made creations merging together, creating a safe haven for all creatures. The crystal roof of the sanctuary provided a good amount sunlight for the flora that lived grew inside.

A loud thud awakened him from his thoughts and he quickly turned to where the sound came from: an egg golem had dropped one of the seven chairs , "Be gentle now, would ya?! This place is a relic!" He shook his head and returned to his task.

His ears and nose twitched as his senses detected incoming people. He told the golems to continue working before hopping to the main doorway of the sanctuary. Bunnymund pushed the gem-studded stone door and stepped out of the dome.

He tuned in his ears to locate where the people are coming from. Buzzing. Flapping. Wind. Wings. He opened his eyes and looked up the sky to see a flying winged elephant with the Sisters of Flight surrounding it. The elephant was adorned with brightly colored cloth as saddles and painted on its face were delicate designs of flowers. Bunnymund smiled and waved at them as they came to a halt and landed near the dome.

A woman with fair skin, pink eyes, and a warm smile flew towards Bunnymund with arms opened wide. She wore a pink and violet silk saree with gold embroidered accents; the fabric complimented the iridescent turquoise feathers that covered her body except for her hands and face. "It's been so long, Edmund!" she chirped, pulling away from the Pooka.

"I've missed you, too, Thia," Bunnymund smiled. "Do you need any help?" He motioned to the other women unloading the baggage from the elephant's back.

"No, it's alright! My girls can handle it," she shrugged, nodding at her warriors before flying inside the dome. "The others aren't here yet?"

Bunnymund followed her inside. The seats were clean of plants and his golems were dormant. "It'd take a day or two for the Northerners and Southerners to get here." He walked towards the round table and sat on his chair. Each chair has a symbol that represents a kingdom, his was a single egg shaped Jade gem.

"And Count can only travel in the evening," Toothiana sighed, hovering over the table as her warriors handed her the maps and scrolls. "What do you think happened?"

A dark expression fell on Bunnymund's face and as if on cue, the sun hid behind the clouds, rendering the dome dim. "We can only assume the worst right now." He crossed his arms across his chest. "North would usually send messengers to notify us about the situation."

* * *

"Hiccup, I don't think this is a good idea," Astrid yelled as they flew. "We should head straight to the Core." She could see Hiccup shaking his head but it was hard to really tell with all the clouds around them. "Let's at least fly above the clouds."

Hiccup looked back, his eyes softened under his mask, "Alright." With a swift motion, Toothless vanished above the clouds. Astrid braced herself for air resistance as Stormfly flew higher. "I just wanna check the kingdom. And if Jack and the others are still there..."

"They're probably already headed to the Core. And there's a high chance that Burgess' defenses are up, we're gonna get attacked, Hiccup." Astrid shook her head. There was no logic that could reach Hiccup once he was set into doing anything. Tell him that he's too scrawny to fight? He'll make a weapon. Tell him it's too dangerous? He'll walk right into a nest of an alpha dragon. She knew it was no use to tell him about the dangers of certain things. He already knows the stakes.

"I'm gonna take the chance that they don't," Hiccup said. He glanced at his compass and map, they were almost there.

...

Hiccup and Astrid swooped down and glided into Burgess territory. The moon accompanied them in the dark. "Okay bud, tell me if you see anything suspicious," Hiccup patted the Toothless' neck. The reptile purred as they flew into the night. No light could be seen from the kingdom below them. They circled around the town to survey the area.

There weren't any people outdoors, even the pubs were unusually quiet. No bonfires, no songs...no soldiers. Burgess' silence was unsettling. It's like seeing Berk with no dragons. Burgess had always been a joyous kingdom filled with fun and wonder. The people were warm and welcoming. The Burgess before them seemed too cold, even for a kingdom of Winter.

Hiccup and Astrid glanced at each other before diving to circle the castle. Just like the town, no lights were on. Soldiers walked with a steady beat around the castle grounds. The white walls of the castle glistened under the moonlight along with the frozen pond in the middle of the courtyard. Astrid hummed in confusion, "Hiccup...look..." she called out, "The gates are closed."

"They never close the gates to the town," Hiccup muttered, furrowing his eyebrows.

The town was clearly okay other than the fact that it was unusually dark and quiet. They showed no trace of being raided. Even the castle was silent with only the beat from the cadence of the soldiers making a sound. Everything seemed alright and nobody has detected them thus far. What befell upon Burgess that made them light their alarm? Could it be possible that it was lit on accident? That's hard to believe though.

Toothless and Stormfly growled to catch their riders' attentions. A light from a castle window caught the couple's eyes. They landed far beyond the walls of Burgess and within the trees. They observed the flickering light from the window. "Do you think..." Astrid's sentence trailed off as a figure emerged from the window and out to the balcony.

_It was Amelia._

* * *

Emma swore she heard the wings of a dragon. She ran to all the windows of her room to catch sight of the giant reptile. Could it be? Are they here to rescue her? It had been a while since the Vikings visited Burgess but she was sure that it was a dragon that she heard.

She took the lamp from her vanity table and lit it up. With light footsteps, she made her way to her balcony, looking around though not entirely sure what kind of dragon she was looking for.

She prayed to the Moon and Sun, hoping that there was someone out there who could see her. Hoping it wasn't her imagination. For a few moments, she stared at nothing but the wintry forest around her kingdom. Tears threatened to fall on her cheeks. She held her breath and looked up, urging the tears to stop. She's been crying the whole day, she's had enough. That's when she saw the glint of a sword in the corner of her eyes.

Emma placed the lamp on the floor and she leaned against the railing of the balcony. A spark. Then fire. Someone was waving a sword on fire from the edge of the forest. And that someone was awfully familiar. She almost cheered in joy. Only dragon riders wielded such weapons. She was right!

The sword's flame was shut off and the figure disappeared into the forest. Her heart sank. She waited for the person to reappear from the forest but they didn't. She reached for her lamp and walked back into her room.

It had hardly been a day since her brother and uncle left. It takes 2 days to get to the Core without teleportation magic. It's going to take more than 3 days for help to come. Stupid decree.

She sat on her bed, wrapped her blanket around herself. "Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry," she whispered to herself. "They'll be back...they'll be-"

"Emma!" a familiar voice whispered from the balcony.

She immediately stood up and ran towards it, finding a young freckled man hanging from the balcony. "Hiccup!" she joyfully whispered back, she helped the young man over the railing and once he got the proper footing, she tackled him into a hug. Tears started running down her face but she didn't care, help was here!

Hiccup knelt before her and cupped her face, wiping the tears away. His auburn hair was darker in the moonlight. "Are you okay? What happened? Where's your brother?"

"I-"

"_Well, well, well!_ Who do we have here?" the Nightmare King emerged from the darkness with a menacing smile, his golden eyes glowing. Emma quickly hid behind Hiccup but weakly glared at the so called king before her.

"General Pitch?" Hiccup asked, squinting his eyes. Tentacle-like black sand snaked towards the balcony. Hiccup inched back and drew his sword, guarding Emma behind him.

"That's not our General!" Emma screamed at the Nightmare King.

Hiccup activated his sword. Spark. Flames. "Stay away from us."

Suddenly, one of the tentacles grabbed Emma by the foot and dragged her into the darkness. Hiccup quickly grabbed her hand and pulled, hacking the tentacles around them with his sword. She broke free from the hold but was swiftly taken by the Nightmare King himself.

Hiccup found himself in a dome with the man and Emma, surrounded by the swirling black sand.

"Let her go," Hiccup spoke through gritted teeth. Fury sparked within him when the man conjured a knife and held it against his friend's neck. "Let her go!" Hiccup shouted as the man smiled and glided into the darkness, dragging Emma with him.

He followed Emma's cries into the darkness with his sword the only light source. "Hiccup!" Emma cried. "Save me!"

"Hiccup! Help! Please!" Astrid screamed. Wait..._Astrid?_

The moon was gone and he wasn't in the castle.

_"Hiccup!"_ Astrid's voice echoed from the pitch black hallways. He ran into the darkness, following the echoing voice. "Hiccup, help me!"

"Astrid! Hold on!" He shouted into the darkness, his voice echoing back to him. He ran and ran and ran, the hallway was endless. He blinked as his surroundings shifted, almost moving beneath his feet. His vision coming to a blur. His head spun and spun but he continued to run, tightening his grip on his sword. He saw a glint of light in front of him and ran towards it. Faster and faster as Astrid's screams grew louder and louder. He reached the end of the tunnel, the light blinding him temporarily.

Silence.

His eyes adjusted to the light. He was back in Berk.

He trod carefully, keeping his sword ready. A gust of wind blew across the island, swaying the grass and trees. The smell of petrichor wafted into his senses. He was in Berk's forest. He ran through the trees and found his way back to the village. The warmth of the torches beckoning him to come. He lowered his sword and ran once more and stumbled to the ground. His foot got caught on a root. He groaned in pain before shuffling up to find his sword that flew near a monument. A monument that he wasn't familiar of. He walked towards it, picking up his sword, reading what was engraved:

_Astrid Hofferson-Haddock. Warrior, wife, dead._

His heart dropped and eyes widened. He furrowed his eyebrows and examined closely. Wild flowers and candles decorated the monument. He could feel his breathing pick up pace. His heart beat faster. _This can't be real._ Before he could touch the letters with his fingers, a roar he knew all to well disrupted the moment.

He ran towards the sound and found Toothless tied up above firewood in the middle of the village. The Vikings who bore weapons and torches laughed and shouted around Toothless. His fingers dropped his sword as he sprinted towards his best friend. What was going on?! He stood before the villagers and yelled at them to stop this madness.

"Useless little runt!" they shouted at him. "Can't even kill a dragon!"

A heavy feeling hit him like a wave. He felt dizzy. His heart was beating rapidly. Cold drops of sweat ran down his face and neck. The voices kept echoing in his head. The world was spinning. This can't be real. This _isn't_ real. What was happening?

_"Are you even a Viking?!"_

The smiles of the Vikings twisted and contorted, stretched wide across their cheeks.

_"You're not my son."_

_"You're a disgrace!"_

_"You don't belong here."_

He squeezed his hands to his ears to drown out the voices but somehow, they got louder.

_"Hiccup!"_

_"Hey Fishbone! Haha!"_

_"Go away."_

Tears started streaming from his eyes as he shrunk, kneeling, hugging himself. This isn't real. _This isn't real. **This isn't real.**_

_"Wake up, Hiccup!"_

_"Pathetic."_

The villagers dragged him and tied him up with his dragon. He blinked and saw the moon above them but it was golden. He shook his head, he swore the moon _smiled_ at him. His heartbeat kept racing. Faster and faster. The villagers set fire to wood beneath them. Fire blazed and scorched his skin, making him scream in seething pain. His head was spinning._ Nothing made sense._ He took a deep breath as he felt a sharp object stab his side. FLASH! Hiccup found himself in the dark again, a dagger made of black sand in his abdomen, a man leaned against him, hand on the dagger. This isn't real. _This isn't real. **This isn't real.**_

The man twisted the dagger and smiled as Hiccup screamed in pain. The man's eyes glowed gold like the smiling moon he saw. "Send a message for me, boy." The man growled, "Tell your_ little royal friends_ that the Nightmare King is back."

...

_"Hiccup!"_

Blur.

_"Hiccup! Wake up!"_

Descending.

_"Hiccup, stay with me. Stay with me, hon."_

Pine trees. Mint. Snow. Astrid.

_"Oh my gods, you're bleeding so much,"_ Astrid's voice was shaking._ "This is gonna hurt, hold on. Stay with me."_

...

Astrid watched from the shadows as her husband quietly climbed up the castle, muttering a prayer to the gods every time his prosthetic foot would slip. She was almost tempted to fly and drop him by the targeted balcony but she knew that would attract too much attention. She released the breath she didn't even know she was holding in once Hiccup reached the balcony. She absentmindedly stroked her dragon as she watched him speak with the young lady.

Compared to Hiccup, she would have been more agile but she wasn't as close to Emma as Hiccup was. Hell, she hasn't even _earned_ the right to call her 'Emma.' Hiccup was almost like an older brother to Emma especially that people had a tendency to underestimate the both of them.

She smiled to herself, everything looked fine. She shifted her position on her dragon, a split-second after she looked away, she heard a scream. Toothless squirmed and growled beside Stormfly, his pupils turned into slits as he stared at the castle.

"Hiccup!" Emma cried out.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Hiccup was engulfed by a black substance, trapping him in a cocoon. The substance glittered and swirled around his feet, crawling up to the rest of him, she could see him panic and shake inside the cocoon.

"Stormfly!" Astrid yelled as they took off. "Let's get him out of there!"

The Deadly Nadder roared and spewed blinding white fire, scorching the black substance that persisted to surround Hiccup. It was as if the black substance just kept regenerating, melt after melt. It was no use attacking the cocoon and she couldn't risk Hiccup's life more by scorching it.

The shadows shifted beneath Hiccup and from it grew a snake-like creature made of the black substance. It craned over them and attacked. Stormfly quickly threw spikes towards the creature, slicing it into pieces.

Astrid took notice of the creature as it was sliced. Sand. The substance was black sand and the way it glittered was something she had seen before, something familiar. An empty replica of something else. They managed to dart away and defend themselves from the multiple sand snakes that attacked them. Behind the snakes, appeared a tall man. A lifeless version of Burgess' mighty General Kozmotis Pitchener. His eyes glinted under the moonlight, smiling cruelly.

Astrid glared at him, watching him closely. He whispered something into the cocoon as a dagger formed in his hand and dug it deep into it. She roared as Stormfly attacked the man with fire but before the flames could reach him, he disappeared into the shadows along with Emma and the sand creatures.

Hiccup's body emerged from the sand. He fell limp and collapsed on the balcony floor. Astrid jumped from Stormfly and unto the balcony. "Hiccup!" Her hands searching Hiccup, sliding her fingers under his leather armor to find the wound. "Hiccup! Wake up!" She swore as Hiccup's breath depleted. Cold sweats dripped from his skin. Dark circles around his eyes. She slid her arms under Hiccup and carried him bridal style, carefully climbing up Stormfly.

Stormfly smoothly glided down and into the woods. Once they've landed, she crooned down to ease her partner's descent from, her back. Toothless scurried to his partner's side and purred worriedly, nuzzling Hiccup's sweaty face.

Astrid unbuckled Hiccup's armor and removed all the leather that was on her way. "Oh my gods, you're bleeding so much." She ran her fingers through her hair. A pool of blood drenched Hiccup's undershirt. The blood dripped and stained the snow beneath him. Astrid removed the cloth that wrapped around her arm and carefully pressed it against Hiccup's abdomen.

"This is gonna hurt, hold on. Stay with me."

* * *

**Author's notes: Penny for your thoughts? **


	4. 04 Tsar Lunar

_Chapter 4_

Jack looked up and took in the view. In the middle of the Core's rain forest stood ancient ruins made of stone. An overgrowth of various plants seem to consume it. At the center of the ruins stood a dome. A small, steady stream of water coming in and out of either sides. The vines crept up until the the tip of the gleaming crystal roof. The giant moss-covered double doors are studded with various gemstones. The gems sparkled under the sun. The air is humid and smells like the rain.

He threw his cape over his shoulder and tightened his grip on his staff. It was his first ever Core meeting, he would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. Especially with the current situation they were in. North had always been the one to attend the annual meetings after Jack and Emma's parents died. Jack's heart started to beat rapidly. His first Core meeting was a _war_ meeting.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?" North sighed, adoring the dome, calming Jack down. "It was built by the gods to unite the Seven Kingdoms...Now, come along." He patted Jack's back and entered the double doors.

The interior of the dome is more enchanting than the exterior. Flowers bloomed and little birds flew playfully above them, their nests placed within the nooks and cranies of the dome. Sunlight shined down from the crystal ceiling, changing colors according to the angles of the light. To the right was a stream of glistening water that flowed to the other side of the dome. To the left was a door leading to the other ruins. At the center of the dome was a huge round table with seven chairs, each with its corresponding insignia to represent a kingdom. Five leaders were already sitting around the table, talking to each other.

"North?" a voice called out, followed by fluttering wings. A jet of color seemed to tackle North. Jack's eyes widened at the sight. A winged woman covered with feathers hugged his uncle. "It's been a while since I've seen you! I'm glad you're safe!" she exclaimed. Her wings were like a dragonfly's and her feathers like a hummingbird's. She must be Toothiana of Punjam Hy Loo. He's never actually seen a fairy before and the legends are true—they're majestic.

North returned the hug, "We hardly escaped."

"What happened?" A six foot tall Pooka stood up. Edmund Bunnymund of the Eastern Island, Jack assumed.

Before North could answer, the double doors opened behind them revealing a blonde woman dragging a body.

Jack recognized the couple immediately, Astrid and Hiccup of Berk. The room fell silent, the leaders stood up from their seats. Two dragons poked their heads into the doors with concern in their eyes. Jack quickly assisted Astrid, wrapping Hiccup's other arm over his shoulder. Hiccup's abdomen was wrapped in bandages but his blood still bled through. Specks of black sand were around it. Jack furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the sand. His vision blurred and his head stung causing him to lean against a his staff.

A brunette woman a couple of years younger than North, Queen Elinor of the Highlands, caught Astrid before the blonde's knees could hit the ground. The queen gently urged Astrid to sit on a nearby chair. She knelt before the younger woman and held her hands. "You're safe, it's okay," she quietly told Astrid whose eyes were red and puffy.

"I'll bring him to the infirmary," a large handsome old man with long damp white hair walked towards Jack. The man was almost as big as North but slimmer and more muscular. His bright blue eyes glowed like the reflection of the moon against the ocean. A golden crown made of seashells and corals adorned his head, a blue toga wrapped around his waist and slung over his shoulder. Jack nodded, as if the man's mere presence took away his ability to speak, and let the god-like King take Hiccup into his arms.

Toothiana opened the door to the ruins for the man who carried Hiccup. She followed closely behind him.

"Tell us when you're ready," Elinor said.

"It's the Nightmare King-" Astrid's voice wavered. Everyone stood still, as if holding their breaths. "W-we...Hiccup wanted to check on Burgess so we did," she looked at Jack and North. "It was quiet, there were no signs of struggle in the town so we thought that it's, I don't know, safe?"

North sat on the chair besides Astrid's chair, crossing his arms. His gaze was on the old maps at the center of the round table.

"We saw Amelia and Hiccup tried to rescue her but," Astrid continued. "The Nightmare King, he held her hostage and trapped Hiccup, I don't know what happened but Hiccup could hardly stay awake. And when he's unconscious he struggles and screams."

"Astrid-" Jack knelt beside Elinor and placed his hand on Astrid's knee. He'd never seen her like this before. She was always so brave and strong but now she looked so small.

"I was so scared, I didn't know what to do," she cried, "I'm...I'm sorry...I tried telling him not to go but he insisted-"

Elinor wrapped Astrid in a motherly hug. "Shhh, it's okay. It's okay," she cooed, "It's going to be okay. Hiccup's going to be okay. You should get some rest." Elinor let go of the hug and brushed Astrid's bangs out of the way, cupping the blonde's face.

"No, I'm okay." Astrid shook her head. "We should start the meeting. If we delay, more damage could be done. I can't let that happen."

Elinor nodded understandingly. The ones who brought Hiccup to the infirmary returned causing everyone to turn towards them. "The boy's stable but my magic alone can't heal him," the old man announced as everyone returned to their seats. "Toothiana's warriors are tending to him."

She took Hiccup's place at the table before answering, "Thank you, King Triton." Triton nodded at her before taking his place at the table. Jack took Astrid's hand and held it tightly, offering a reassuring smile. She squeezed his hand back, "I'm sorry about Amelia."

"She's a brave girl," Jack looked up. At least they know that Amelia is alive. Alive was enough.

"Now that we all know why we're here," Toothiana stood up, her wings fluttering behind her, "Let's begin with the roll call." She nodded at Bunnymund who took a scroll from the leahter pouch across his chest.

"From the east under Spring, Warrior Queen Toothiana of Punjam Hy Loo," Bunnymund nodded at Toothiana, "And yours truly, Chief Edmund Aster Bunnymund of the Eastern Islands. From the south under Summer, Queen Elinor Dun Broch from the Highlands."

Jack had a better look of the famous queen. Streaks of grey hair lined her very long brown braided hair where a golden crown sat. She wore an elegant green gown that matched the gems on her crown. She nodded with her hand on her heart at the mention of her name and kingdom. Amelia is a big fan of Elinor, Jack remembered. The queen was famous for being an incredible strategist and for being the wife of Fergus the Bear King. They're a formidable couple.

"And King Triton of Atlantis," Bunnymund continued.

Jack coudn't help but stare at King Triton. To be honest, he couldn't help but stare at Triton, Toothiana, and Bunnymund. He had only ever seen their kind from books and paintings. Their beauty was enough of a distraction from his fear and anger at the Nightmare King.

"From the west under Fall, Lady Mavis Dracula of Transylvania."

Jack didn't notice the young woman next to Astrid until she was called. She was very pale with short black hair and dressed in black. She looked a couple of years younger than Jack was but if he learned anything about Transylvanians, it was that they A.) keep to themselves and B.) hardly age. She might as well be a century old. She held a black umbrella over her head to shield her from the remaining afternoon sun. The dark circles around her eyes made her blue eyes pop out. She looked like she haven't slept for days.

"And finally, from the north under Winter, King Jackson Overland Frost of the Kingdom of Burgess and Lady Astrid Hofferson-Haddock of Berk," Bunnymund finished. "Now, what's the situation?" he asked the men from Burgess.

Jack sighed, intertwining his hands together. He glanced at North who nodded at him. "We were ambushed by Fearlings," he started. "On the Winter Solstice, black sand surrounded the kingdom. They took our General and used his body as a vessel along with our soldiers...we..." His voice faltered. He took a deep breath a cleared his throat before continuing, "As far as we know, he took Amelia and our people under hostage in the castle. North and I escaped."

"We went to Santoff Claussen, it being the closest village to us," North placed his hand on Jack's shoulder. "The Fearlings were using Sand Magic, a replica."

All heads turned to Mavis who lowered her head. "Holy rabies," she muttered under her breath. It took a few moments before it clicked in Jack's mind. Transylvania was the only kingdom left to worship the Nightmare King. Little villages all around used to worship him to but they stopped when the Nightmare King tipped off the balance, causing more harm than anything. But Transylvania, the kingdom relied on darkness. Its very foundations were built on it. The darkness is where their people are safe.

Mavis looked around her, adjusting her umbrella, "We haven't seen signs for weeks. I thought he just went dormant like he usually does every once in a while so I didn't think much of it." Her voice was raspy. "It's why I'm the one here. My dad hasn't stopped trying to get in contact with him since we saw the lights. We didn't know...we didn't..."

"Wait, so...how did the Fearlings even escape? Nightlight guarded down under," Bunnymund asked.

Jack shook his head, "Katherine didn't say much about it. She said the fearlings grew stronger and Nightlight wasn't able to hold them off. He's in Santoff Claussen but he isn't well enough to fight with us."

The room fell silent as the sun disappeared. The dome's flora slowly glowed in the dark, enough to illuminate the room.

"He could have killed Hiccup and Amelia," Astrid quetly said with sharpness in her voice. "But he didn't. He's sending a message."

Elinor took one of the maps from the table to examine closer, "If he's sending a message, possibly showing off his power..." Her finger traced the map, "Then he must be planning to attack each kingdom one by one, starting with the strongest ones." Her tone completely changed from warm and motherly to sharp and venomous.

"I don't understand, he'd be exhausting himself by starting with the strongest," Mavis chimed in.

"Well," Triton spoke. "If I had a limited amount of power, just enough to bring a few kingdoms down, I would start with the most essential ones first." His eyes seemed to glow brighter as the sky grew darker.

"...By doing that he'd scare the other kingdoms enough to surrender," Bunnymund said softly, a wave of realization came upon his face. Triton nodded.

"Which is the reason why the Core Alliance stands. To prevent that from happening," Elinor added, her eyebrows furrowing."He knows that we would be shaken by conquering Burgess. The next logical move would be to attack either Spring Kingdoms."

"He's gonna try to erase and rewrite history, isn't he?" Toothiana scowled. Her knuckles white, her feathers ruffled. "I swear if-"

"Whatever he plans to do, we prevent it," North cuts in. "We can't risk another kingdom on the line." Jack looked up at North whose hands were slowly consumed by frost.

"We'll prioritize Punjam Hy Loo's defenses," Elinor nodded. "I can send my men around the perimeter of Hy Loo's forests, securing any attacks from below while Berk can send in aerial assists." Astrid nodded at this.

Mavis closed her umbrella and raised her hand before speaking, "I'm afraid my kingdom have to opt out of this but we can try to reason, bargain; maybe understand why all of this is happening from our side." She shrugged, "Even if I want to send help, it'd be ridiculous. Like the Eastern Island trying to wage war against the Sun."

Bunnymund chuckled at the last statement.

"Every assist is appreciated and necessary," Triton smiled at Mavis. "I can send reinforcements to the Eastern Islands, we can surround the shores."

"Aside from the riders we'll send to Hy Loo, I can deploy scouts to watch Burgess closely," Astrid suggested. "It might help us figure out more of his power and plans." Elinor agreed, noting that it will greatly help with strategizing a counter attack.

Jack looked up, the moon was directly above them. "How are we gonna defeat black sand magic?" he asked aloud. "And Hiccup-" Moonbeams passed through the crystal roof, dancing its way to the center of the round table. "What the?"

Jack instinctively stood up and cleared the table, moving the maps to the side. Toothiana swiftly collected the maps as Jack quickly moved to the other side, standing between Triton and Elinor. The Moon was contacting them. Jack's heartbeat picked up pace, it was a crescent moon; the Man in the Moon only ever communicates with them during a full one so this must be urgent.

"Hands off the table," North's voice boomed.

Once the table was fully cleared, he nodded at Jack and they pressed their palms against the table. The frost that consumed North and Jack's hands spread through out the round table, causing the seated leaders to stand and move away. It swirled into intricate patterns towards the center of the table, creating a glyph.

The leaders watched in awe as the men focused on their magic. The pattern glowed and from it emerged crystal clear ice that grew taller and taller, snow danced around the growing ice as it reached its full height. Chill surged through North and Jack's veins, their eyes glowing, hair floating. Creating a vessel for a Celestial was entirely different from simply using magic. It used more energy and required a spiritual out-pour from the ones creating the vessel. It was a form of worship.

The room's temperature dropped as the vessel fully formed. It stood 5 feet tall on the stone table. Clear and iridescent. Moonbeams danced around it before hitting it directly. A flash of blinding light illuminated the room before revealing a figure formed on the ice. Jack and North pulled away from the table, both stumbling and leaning against a chair.

The moonbeams formed multiple figures in the crystal, dancing around to form the holograms. The moon spoke in rhymes only few can understand.

"He's dying," Triton spoke. The glow in his eyes was dimmer. Frost formed on his shoulders and hair. He walked towards the now frozen stream, under his feet it melted. The water rose to surround his lower body as scales appeared on his skin. Before their eyes, the king of the oceans transformed into his natural form. His eyes glowed brighter, the iridescent blue scales from his tail crept up to his back and abdomen. He apologized, "My human form can't handle freezing temperatures."

"Who's dying?" Astrid asked as she lent Toothiana her fur cape.

"Tsar Lunar."


End file.
